BUGARACH, France — The mayor of a little village in France is asking for help from the French army because the town is being flooded with visitors, cranks and oddballs — all seeking to escape the doomsday predicted for Dec. 21st when the Mayan calendar ends. Many people believe the strangely-shaped mountain next to Bugarach is a sacred site that will escape Armageddeon. Valerie Austin, a retiree from Britain who has lived in the town for years, told ABC News that all the tourists and weirdos are ruining the area’s charm. “When I first came here you could climb the peak and see no one,” she said. “All day. Now it’s like pass by the right, pass by the left.” The mayor said he doesn’t mind the thousands of people flocking to the town but is worried about what happens Dec. 22.
Tuesday, Dec. 11, 3 p.m.